Chapter 1
Home again
The sun was leaning closer and closer to the horizon, and the autumn wind was blowing relentlessly through the trees, stripping the leaves in bunches and sending them flying like butterflies to all directions. The reddened sky in the background reflected the wavering trees shaking their branches, looking as if saying good-bye to their leaves and attempting to battle the harsh wind for one last time.
The withered leaves swept by the desolated looking road, on which only occasionally a car or two drove by, flipping up sand and dirt as if in a whirlwind. Not a soul could be seen anywhere, as if everyone knew that the cold twilight was approaching. The sun was sinking lower with each second flowing by, leaving the world to be taken over by the upcoming darkness and the none-stopping wind howling by.
On the side of the dusty road, a thin, small form could be seen crawling slowly on the ground. The last rays of the setting sun fell onto her brown, gold, and white body, fully exposing her messy, uncombed fur in the light. It was a small cat, crawling one step at a time, almost dragging her four limbs on the ground with her every move. If it were not for her dust-covered coat, her tear-smeared face, and the dismal expressions in her eyes, she was almost beautiful. Her lower body and the both of her hind legs were tainted with dried blood, and the way she moved looked almost like a traveler in the desert who's ran out of water. The cold wind ruthlessly whipped at her fragile little body, looking as if about to cut through her bones. Compared to the wide road and the tall trees, she looked like a small piece of stone on a beach, so small, so alone, and seemingly so trivial to the big world around.
"Come on, keep moving..." the small queen mumbled to herself as she dragged her elbows and knees on the ground. Rows of sweat were falling down from the side of her forehead, and she panted as she made her every smallest effort. The wind was not with her at all, for no matter how hard she crawled, it always seemed to be pulling her backwards. She shuddered at the coldness around her as another blast of wind attacked her from the front; several leaves landed on her head and back.
"Oh, Everlasting Cat, would someone help me," her voice came out hoarse and almost unintelligible. She moved further, how much further she didn't know, and then lowered her head, stopped on the spot to rest for a few seconds, feeling as if every single bone in her body was about to collapse any minute. But when she raised her head again, to her delight, the junkyard looked but yards away.
"Oh, I made it!" she nearly cried out. The sight gave her new hope, and she used what little energy she had left to quicken her movements. Her body felt more than soar and ache all over. But she needed to keep going!
What looked like a few yards turned out almost as long as a few miles, and that last few yards also drained her of her last few bits of strength. The junkyard looked the same as when she had left it, and by the time she reached the entrance, night was already making its way into the sky. She tried hard through her blurred vision to look around, hoping to find someone around. But she saw no one.
"Help me!" she used her last bit of strength to call out as loud as she could make her dried, hurting throat, and before she even knew if she could have a reply, all suddenly turned black around her.
"Demeter..." after how long had passed she didn't know, she seemed could vaguely hear someone call her name and gently touching her. With some effort she opened her heavy eyelids, and saw what sat in front of her was an orange tabby queen.
"Demeter," that same voice started by her ears again. She opened her eyes wider, trying hard to see clearer before losing her vision again.
"Jen... Jenny?" she stammered as she looked at the ginger queen in front of her closely. The queen gently nodded, dabbed her forehead with a damp cloth, and took her paw into hers.
"Demeter, you're all right. You're home," the queen gave her a warm smile. "Poor dear, I don't even want to ask what you must've gone through for the past few months right now. All you need to know is that you've no idea how much everyone's been worried, and how glad we are that you're back safe.
Demeter looked around her, and realized that she was settled comfortably on a pile of soft rags in the back of a familiar looking closet. She wriggled a bit under her blanket, and attempted to sit up. But the queen pushed her back down onto her pillow.
"No, no, lie still," she said, "what you need more than anything else at the moment is rest. Coricopat and Tantomile have gone to fetch you some medicine."
"Jennyanydots, how is she?" Demeter suddenly turned toward the door at the sound of a deep, masculine, yet fatherly voice, and saw an old gray Persian slowly entering, followed by a tall silver tabby.
"Oh, she's awake now," Jennyanydots replied.
The old tom walked toward Demeter's bed, and with the help of the tabby, slowly sat down next to her.
"My child," he stroked her head fur. "Thank Heaviside that we finally got you back. How worried and how terrified we have all been this time. But now that we see you safe, I feel truly great comfort in my heart."
Demeter's eyes were already filled with tears. "Old Deuteronomy..."
"No, no, don't try to get up," Old Deuteronomy smiled, and stroked her forehead. "None of us had expected to find you such condition. When Munkustrap saw you at the entrance of the junkyard, he was shocked more than any of us. Now, just by looking at you, I can tell that you're still very tired and weak. Munkustrap and I have brought you something to eat, and you just lie and rest for now, all right?"
"Old Deuteronomy..." Demeter shook her lips; tears were pouring out of her eyes as if from a broken faucet. "I'm so sorry... I..."
"Don't say sorry," Old Deuteronomy said, and took Demeter's right paw into his. "When you're better, we can then talk, all right? What I need you to do now is rest and get your health back. Now, I have something that I need to talk to Jennyanydots about. Can Munkustrap stay with you for a while?"
Demeter shivered at the sound of the last sentence, but Munkustrap, whose sight she's been trying her best to avoid the entire time, had already helped the old tom up and led him toward the doorway with Jennyanydots.
"Demeter!" The moment Old Deuteronomy and Jennyanydots were out the door, Munkustrap rushed back to Demeter's side and took her paw into his. Demeter turned away from the tabby, closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. Tears were still rolling down her face like tiny waterfalls.
"What, you don't recognize me anymore?" Munkustrap asked; his voice filled with softness and passion. "Demeter, how are you feeling? Do you still hurt anywhere?"
"Munkustrap..." Demeter mumbled.
"I've brought you food," said Munkustrap, "are you hungry? When was the last time you ate?"
"Don't worry about me," Demeter tried her best to restrain herself from sobbing out loud. "I'm fine. I've already worried everyone too much."
"Really fine?" Munkustrap asked, hoping that she'd turn around so he could see her face. But Demeter remained in her old position, only slightly nodding in reply.
"Do you not want me to be here or something?" Munkustrap asked; his tone was filled with disappointment. "If I'm bothering you, you can tell me and I'll leave you alone for a while."
"Munkustrap..." Demeter wiped her eyes with her other paw. "I'm ok. I don't know what to say to you right now, but... I've caused more than enough trouble for everyone already. I..."
"No, you haven't, Demeter. Why are you thinking this way? What's happened to you in the last few months that have gotten you to have such thoughts?" Munkustrap shook Demeter's paw and cried.
Demeter suddenly started trembling uncontrollably. Munkustrap blanched and put down Demeter's paw, and gazed at her tensely.
"Demeter, what's wrong?" he asked.
Demeter did not answer, nor did she turn to look at him. She huddled herself up into a ball, and continued to quiver.
"Are you cold?" Munkustrap asked, and put his paw on top of her blanket.
"Munkustrap!" Demeter's eyes popped open at the sound of a deep feminine voice coming from the door. Looking toward that direction, she saw a tall, slim red queen making her way into the closet.
"Bombalurina?" She called, almost unbelievingly.
"Bast, little sis," the red queen rushed to her bedside and held her face in both of her paws. "You've scared all of us three-fourths to death! Where have you been? When Munkustrap came running to me and yelling that you've just been found, I was nearly knocked over to the ground! And then when I came Jenny wouldn't let me see you right away, and I had to wait for how long I don't know! Oh, Heaviside's sakes, you've finally returned! Even Aurora and Scott have almost given up looking for you! And what happened to you? Why are you in such a mess? Jenny said you had blood on your legs when they first found you. Where did that come from?"
"Bombalurina!" Munkustrap called, suddenly seeing Demeter's who body tightening and her face turning ghostly white. Bombalurina stopped her rant and stared nervously at Demeter, suddenly speechless.
Munkustrap looked at Demeter for a while, and then moved closer to Bombalurina.
"Whatever she's gone through in these past months, it's obviously something that she doesn't want to be reminded of," he said lowly. Bombalurina stared at her sister, and then slowly nodded.
"But what do you figure has happened?" Bombalurina asked, "Jenny told me that she was found in a total mess, and her lower body was covered with dried blood. Do you suppose she got seriously injured? I mean, it seems to me like she's fallen off a cliff or something. And look at her; she looks like she's gone through a nervous breakdown!"
"Shh!" Munkustrap put his paw over Demeter's, and stared at the small queen curled up underneath the blanket, with tears rolling down her face onto the pillow rags and her limbs shaking none stop.
"How is she?" Munkustrap and Bombalurina turned around, and saw Alonzo and Tugger entering, followed by Cassandra and Jellylorum. They gathered around Demeter's bed, and Jellylorum gently stroked Demeter's ears. Demeter kept her eyes closed and bit her lower lip.
"Poor dear," said Jellylorum, "the Everlasting Cat knows what you must have gone through for the last three months. You've really been gone for too long, and some of us were preparing for the worst."
"Munkustrap, is she feeling ok right now?" Alonzo asked.
"I don't know," Munkustrap sighed, "She doesn't want to talk about anything to anybody right now, and she just looks like she wants to sleep."
"There's no way we can get anything out of her that would give us a clue to what's happened to her," said Bombalurina, "but just from the look of her, I'm almost positively sure that it's not something good!"
"Suppose it's like what we've all guessed, that she's been catnapped and escaped?" Cassandra bent down next to Demeter.
"Well, right now, that's the only thing that seems to make sense," said Munkustrap.
"I say, let's all go out right now, and leave her in peace for a while," said Jellylorum, "you can't push her. You gotta give her enough space to calm down first."
"Yeah, come on, Bomba," Tugger pulled on Bombalurina's arm. "My human bought me some new treats. Wanna share?"
Bombalurina nodded, but looked back at her sister with concern in her eyes.
"Can I stay?" Munkustrap asked, "I'm really worried about leaving her all by herself right now."
Jellylorum sighed. "I guess so. But please don't push her too much; give her some quietness and some time."
Munkustrap nodded and watched the group leave.
"And if you need anything, we'll be outside," Alonzo called.
After the group left the closet, Munkustrap turned back to Demeter and gently touched her head fur. Demeter flinched, and Munkustrap was forced to take his paw away from her.
"You don't want to eat anything, Demeter?" he asked.
Demeter shook her head and buried half of her face under the blanket.
"Maybe I should let you rest," Munkustrap shook his head and retreated to the other corner of the closet, knowing that it was probably useless to say anything to Demeter at the moment. "Maybe you'll feel better after a nap."
Demeter heaved out a small sigh and closed her eyes. Munkustrap glanced at the outside through the ajar door of the closet, and realized that it was already dark.
"Come on, Bomba, don't be so tense," Tugger said as the two walked out of Tugger's house each with a paw full of cat treats. "She'll be fine, she probably got scared."
"But I think it's something worse," Bombalurina muttered.
"What could be worse than catnap?" Tugger asked, "Suppose that's what happened, it would be enough to put her in the state that she's in right now."
"What I'm afraid is that, it was something more than catnap," said Bombalurina, "the blood on her legs, the condition of her mind, and her whole self looks... beyond normal. I'm afraid that on top of catnap, there was something much worse that made her like this."
"What do you have in mind?" Tugger asked.
"I can't say," said Bombalurina, "and she's stubborn to the degree of not letting out a word! What do you think I can do, read her mind?"
"Maybe the twins can help," said Tugger as he casually turned around to lick the side of his mane.
"Gee, give her a break, Tugger," said Bombalurina, and started to habitually play with her perfectly cut claws.
The two went back into the junkyard. A bright half moon had risen into the night sky, and everything around seemed so serene and peaceful. Bombalurina looked over toward the closet in which she knew Demeter was still in.
"Should we stop by and see her again?" Bombalurina asked.
"She's probably sleeping now. Don't bother her for now. Wait a little while," Tugger replied and led the young scarlet queen toward the tire in the back.
"I'm worried about her, Tugger," said Bombalurina, "how long do you figure she'll remain in this condition?"
"I have the faintest clue," Tugger shook his head.
"Oh, what do you have a clue of, Tugger?" Bombalurina asked; her voice slightly mixed with a tone of irritation."
"What I want at this moment," Tugger suddenly seized Bombalurina's paws and pulled the totally unprepared queen into his arms. Bombalurina nearly screamed out, but Tugger put a paw over her mouth.
"Tugger, what the heck are you doing?" Bombalurina wriggled.
"I've been thinking, that the two of us need to start to get real now," the tom said, and ran his paw down Bombalurina's face. His thick mane tickled Bombalurina's right cheek, and the red queen had to turn away from him.
"What do you mean 'get real'?" Bombalurina cried, "Aw, let me go! You're holding me too tight! What are you trying to do, strangle me?"
"Hey, Relax! I'm not killing you, am I?" Tugger said, and smiled impishly at the still confused Bombalurina. "You and I are not kits anymore, and I kinda feel, that what we've been doing together so far is not enough anymore."
"What..." Bombalurina cried, but before she could even finish her word, her lips were pressed tight against Tugger's. She struggled a couple of times, but realized it was futile under Tugger's strength. She was finally forced to give in, and Tugger pulled her close against him.
Bombalurina closed her eyes and licked her lips when Tugger pulled away.
"Look, Bomba, I know what you're thinking," said Tugger, "that what I've always been to you is a big flirt, who never seems able to take anyone seriously. It's probably gonna stay that way, but the part about me not taking any queen seriously has changed."
"What?" Bombalurina stared at him. "What do you mean?"
"I think you know what I mean," Tugger said, leaning his face closer to her. "Bomba, I want you, do you understand? If there's one queen in the world, who can make me take her seriously, it's only you. But so far, you would go no further with me than with any other tom in the tribe, and that's far from enough for me now!"
"Tugger, I..." Bombalurina's breathing quickened, and Tugger could feel the thumping heart underneath her breast.
"I know. Like me, you're the kind of queen who seems to everyone is incapable of really being serious with any tom," said Tugger, "and I confess, that I do think that you're no less of a flirt than me and at such a young age, you already have the nerve to flaunt yourself. But unfortunately, that's why I like you. And for some reason, I just believe that you can be serious with me!"
"Tugger, don't say anymore," Bombalurina blinked her eyes. "Kiss me, touch me, and say you love me. I want it! I can't lie to myself any longer. I've always wanted this from you. I want it bad!" Her large breasts were moving up and down with her every breath. "Tugger..."
"You know I love you," Tugger smiled, and pressed his lips against Bombalurina's forehead. Bombalurina closed her eyes as Tugger's lips traced from her forehead down to the tip of her nose, then again to her lips, and then further down to her chin and her neck. She started purring softly with the caress of his paws along her sides, and Tugger let out a purr when he felt her breath between his ears, and her paws curling into his fur. He pressed himself against her, and Bombalurina softly moaned.
"You silly goose," Bombalurina whispered.
"You know, Bomba, I've noticed one thing," Tugger grinned as he gently slid his paw down from Bombalurina's chest down to her thigh. Bombalurina's mature and already sexy figure exposed itself clearly in the moonlight.
"And what is that?" Bombalurina grinned.
"Not only do you have such an attractive face, but you're probably more suitable to make love to than anyone else I know!" Tugger replied with a giggle.
"Pervert!" Bombalurina slapped Tugger's shoulder, and the tom laughed as he rolled on top of her. Bombalurina giggled underneath him.
"All right, that's it then," the young queen said, "now you have me completely. I probably have to start go on my human's birth control pills pretty soon."
"Only having you partial is not what I have in mind," Tugger smiled, "and go on the pills if you want. But just letting you know, that you're my mate now, and from now on, this will be my privilege."
The two of them both laughed, and listened to their laughters echoing in the air around them. Bombalurina lied comfortably in Tugger's arms as he nuzzled her head and licked her ears, forgetting about the world around her and indulged herself in romantic fantasies. However, inside her mind, there was just something that constantly refused to give her total peace.
"Tugger," she gently called.
"What, babe?" came a sleepy sound.
"I'm sorry, but I just can't stop thinking about Demeter. I'm really, really worried about her and it's bugging the light out of me. I wish I can do better in finding out what happened," said Bombalurina.
"Oh, don't worry too much," Tugger kissed Bombalurina's cheeks. "She'll be fine. She just needs some time to recover. Maybe tomorrow morning, when she wakes up refreshed, she'll start telling us things.
"That is if she is refreshed," Bombalurina sighed, "who can guarantee that after twelve hours, she's not gonna remain delirious like this?"
"Oh, we'll just have to wait and see, pretty," Tugger gently gave Bombalurina a love bite on each ear, and she turned around to lick his nose. "And Munkustrap is with her right now, so I think we can be at rest at least until sunrise."
"Oh, Bast," Bombalurina let out a heavy breath. "I'd think that someone like me would be more likely to get into trouble, but who'd think that problems would come to none other than my shy and introverted sister."
"Well, she's back safe, isn't she?" Tugger said, "And we'll make sure that no problems would come to her again from now on, right?"
Bombalurina heaved out a heavy sigh. "She is back, that's for sure. But I really don't know about 'safe'. I never expected I'd worry about her this much someday. I always thought that she'd probably end up worrying more about me than me her."
"But you're the stronger and the more daring one, Bomba," said Tugger, "queens like you probably have a much less chance of being picked on than Demeter."
"Picked on..." Bombalurina mumbled a couple of times, and then suddenly sprang up as if she suddenly had springs popping underneath her. "Oh, My! Heaviside!"
"What, what? What is it? Did you just see a Pollicle ghost or something?" Tugger sat up immediately after her and looked at her with bewilderment on his faces.
Bombalurina gazed toward the closet in which Demeter stayed as if lost in reflection, her whole face suddenly turned white.